Another Red Flag Warning possible for Bay Area due to gusty winds, starting Wednesday night

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Critical fire weather conditions could return to the Bay Area for a second time this week, says ABC7 News Meteorologist Mike Nicco.

Red Flag Warnings are "extremely rare" in December, but Nicco says the Bay Area is bracing for the possibility of increased fire danger on Wednesday night into Thursday.

A Red Flag Warning was declared on Monday.

The previous two happened in 2013 and 2017.

"In 2013, it lead the Pfeiffer Fire near Big Sur," said Nicco. "We have also had some warnings in January at the height of our drought. We had three of them in 2014 and that could be a forecast of what to expect in January 2021."

Nicco is tracking the Fire Danger Index. It shows the next threat starts Wednesday from around 5 p.m. until 11 p.m.

He says people need to be prepared by getting the defensible space around their house shored up, clean of any debris that could turn into fire.

Nicco says the Santa Cruz Mountains, the Diablo Range, the East Bay Hills and the North Bay could range from "high" to "very high".

We could even see "extreme" fire danger in the North Bay during the overnight hours due to the winds picking up while people are sleeping, added Nicco.

The winds are expected to taper Thursday during the morning hours.

"By noon Thursday the fire threat should be over," said Nicco.

If the National Weather Services does declare another Red Flag Warning later this week, it will only be the 4th in Bay Area history for the month of December, explained Nicco.

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